Back to Ordinary

Tags

healing, holidays, Jesus, Mark, Ordinary Time, praying, preaching, surprise, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, work

This morning as I checked to be sure I was reading the correct lectionary selections for this date I noticed the heading: Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time. Not really meaning ordinary in the “ordinary” way, I know that I should be thinking of it as ordinal/counting time. It struck me as the former, however, as it seems that way. Holidays are over, routines have returned and, whether or not we are happy about it, life goes on as it always does. We may have done a year-end inventory – financial or spiritual. We may be grieving large or small losses or celebrating gains as individuals, but on a macro level, the world is still turning.

Jesus is busy in the beginning of Mark’s gospel. (Mark’s writing always reminds me of the saying, “Just the facts, Ma’am” as there is little embellishment in this shortest gospel.) Today in just eleven verses of chapter one (29-39), Jesus finishes his worship in the synagogue, heals Simon’s mother-in-law, has a meal – served by the former invalid, cures “many” including those possessed by demons, spends some time before dawn the next day in the desert praying and then leaves to preach and heal in the nearby villages. That’s quite an agenda!

Some of us are lucky enough to have variety in our work but, seen in another way, sometimes a routine job is more comforting. At least in that way we know what the day will look like. Here’s a nod to the Christmas story that we’ve just left, however. Our God is a God of surprises. If the long-awaited Messiah could be born as a baby of what were reputed to be poor, insignificant parents in the eyes of the world, we ought to be looking deeper than our “ordinary” circumstances for the extraordinary work of God. Life does, in fact, go on and it is ours to stay awake to the little miracles inherent in the everyday.

 

 

 

 

 

Weather as Teacher

Tags

be ready, letting go, reversal, snowfall, stay awake, storms, surprise, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unexpected, weather, winter, wisdom

I was just thinking, as I waited for the coffee to be perked, how winter in the Northeast can be a “wisdom teacher” in the life-long challenge of letting go. Surrendering to God each day for whatever will come is something we need to able to do with little notice depending on how reliable our meteorologists are in their projections. Today and this coming weekend are good examples. Huge storms are sweeping across the country from west to east and everyone assumes we are in the path of something. What that is exactly and/or when it will arrive remains to be seen. It’s possible (although not looking probable) that all the work I did to prepare for a presentation on the Incarnation for this entire morning could be for naught, if the lovely soft snowfall of the moment increases in intensity any time soon. I’m also scheduled in two hours to call our presenter for tomorrow’s 5-hour retreat to discuss whether travel from two hours away later today will be counter-productive. Better safe than sorry might be the wise decision. And so it goes for the entire weekend.

We talk a lot in our locale about the wisdom of suspending programs in the winter. But how, these days, does one determine when that will be? We just had the warmest autumn season on record and joke about the fact (although not always thinking it so funny) that maybe we’ll be having snow in May next year. It has happened before! So what to do?? It seems the best course of action to plan with our eyes open to the possibility of the plan being changed with or without our cooperation. And it’s not just the weather. Events have a way of taking over our lives so we better be ready to be surprised, remembering that we are not in charge but also that all surprise is not bad or frustrating. Who doesn’t like a snow day now and then? How can we celebrate a few “free” hours? What might we learn in an unexpected moment of reversal?

So as the Scriptures say: Stay awake! Be ready, for you do not know the hour when the Lord is coming! Good advice. And whatever comes, try to have a good day!

 

 

 

 

 

That Day Is Today

Tags

Advent, Christmas, education, energized, everyday life, glory, God's glory, Isaiah, learning, luster, shift, surprise, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, understanding, vantage point

This morning’s Scripture readings began with the familiar phrase, “On that day…” that is usually followed with a promise of some import to be visited on God’s people. Today it is Isaiah promising “luster and glory…honor and splendor…” (IS 4:2-6). Promise for the future is important to keep us going; I spoke of it yesterday in terms of Advent and the coming of Christmas. But sometimes I wonder if we are really interested in the possibility that awaits us – or even if we believe what we are reading, perhaps based on what we have experienced in past years when the cycle has come and gone with little effect on our lives.

This morning, just to get me through my first cup of coffee, I read two articles from my graduate school quarterly, the Middlebury Magazine. Middlebury is an amazing school with an equally amazing endowment so it is natural to expect great things happening there. I was interested in the interview of the editor, Matt Jennings, with the relatively new President of the College, Laurie Patton, (in her second year at the post) because I had not yet “met” her and was interested in what she brings to Middlebury. I was pleased with what I learned and found it consonant with the article that followed about a pilot program begun there in 2014. Called What’s the Story? it “seeks to alter our understanding of secondary education” by bringing together high school students from several locations and grade levels who work in small groups on a project of their own choosing for almost an entire school year with an adult mentor (Midd grads who teach in the state). At the completion of the research and development, there are presentations around the state as outcome of the learnings and credit is given for the work. Not only are the projects interesting and important but the students learn innovative ways of research and presentation, with perhaps the most important element of all being the process of working together as agents of their own learning.

Although the two paragraphs above may seem unrelated, I found myself strangely energized after having read the articles and easily fell into thinking about how to shift things in my “everyday life” to make more happen interiorly for me during this month of Advent. Creativity is definitely the link. Practices have to be (dare I use the word) relevant and meaningful and necessary tasks seen in a different light that adds to the coherence of it all. I guess I’m looking for a little “luster” today – just a start so that I will notice “God’s glory” when I arrive at Christmas day. Sometimes a shift in perspective doesn’t mean a 180 degree turn but just a little inching toward the goal from a different vantage point. And a little willingness to be creative will surely win the day. Forgive me if you are left saying, “HUH???”  after reading all this. It may be a case of “You had to be there…” to understand my enthusiasm. All I can say is, “trust me. Every day is worth what we put into it and what we get out of it may just surprise us.” So on we go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Blessing of Your Words

Tags

affirming, gentle, healing, love, resilience, safe, silent listening, surprise, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, true, voice, Word made flesh, words

I read the following reflection this morning and thought it a good start for the day and a worthy companion all the day long.

O Word Made Flesh, stand guard at the gate of my mouth. Be my voice this day that the words I speak will be healing, affirming, true and gentle. Give me wisdom to think before I speak. Bless the words in me that are waiting to be spoken. Live and abide in my words so that others will feel safe in my presence. Surprise me with words that have come from you. Oh, place my words in the kiln of your heart that they may be enduring and strong, tempered and seasoned with love and resilience. Give me a well-trained tongue that has been borne out of silent listening in the sanctuary of my heart. May my words become love in the lives of others.      (Macrina Wiederkehr)